Besieged County School Chief Martwick Resigns

Cook County Regional School Supt. Richard J. Martwick resignedWednesday after a stormy two-decade run in office by sending athree-sentence message that ended with an ironic twist.

"Thank you for your past courtesies," he wrote.

The letter went to Cook County Board President Richard J.Phelan, who had slashed Martwick's funding during turbulent budgethearings. The resignation is effective Sept. 5.

Phelan said Wednesday it "would obviously be my first choice" totry again to eliminate the office. If that cannot be done, he said,he would set up a search committee amde up of suburban educators, whohave had many complaints about Martwick.

Phelan previously failed to shut down Martwick's office outrightand settled for phasing out county funds and successfully pushing fora new state law that abolishes the office in 1995 and turns over theduties to the state.

Martwick generally shied away from press coverage. He could notbe reached for comment Wednesday.

Cook County Commissioner John Stroger said he was surprised bythe resignation, because Martwick still has cases pending thatchallenge the cutbacks in his office.

Last November, Martwick lashed out at Phelan's cuts as Phelanpromised eventually to reduce Martwick's office to "he and hissecretary."

Martwick contended the cuts were "dismantling" and "strictly apolitical move, a ploy which has defamed my name and the professionalimage of my staff."

In a 1990 campaign pledge, Phelan promised to abolish Martwick'soffice. And the president used the results of a state audit releasedearly in his term to set that pledge in motion.

The audit, covering the 12 months ending June 30, 1989, revealedthat Marwick had placed about $1.3 billion in public funds over ayear's time into a non-interest-bearing account at the politicallyconnected Amalgamated Trust and Savings Bank of Chicago.

The finding, similar to that of three previous annual audits,raised the potential of lost interest to as much as $1.6 million overfour years. A fifth audit in November, 1991, showed an estimatedloss in interest of $120,000 to $150,000 for the year ending June 30,1990.